


When everything comes crashing down... in silence

by Astray



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Malevolence Arc, Panic Attacks, more information in the summary, no one dies but they are a wreck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 20:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8860081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astray/pseuds/Astray
Summary: When news of the Malevolence strike reach Cody and Rex, they both are way too far to do anything. All they can do is try to get through this. Knowing that no one would go looking for survivors. [Everyone lives.]





	

They were not together when the news reached them. And they were too far. The  _ Malevolence _ had stricken. When Rex learned, it had been a shot in the chest. A hand crashing through his ribs and crushing his lungs, his heart, his throat. He recoiled, and excused himself. He did not care it was not professional. Every single step sending him closer to the floor until he found the nearest empty room - crumpling to the ground. He could not breathe, could not think, and the darkness surrounding him looked like death drenched in red. His comm.  _ Cody.  _ He could not speak. He still answered. No sound - he could hear Cody’s ragged breathing - sounded like choking. Panic seized him. They had seen death. They knew death. How many times had they seen brothers fall? 

“Cody-”

Another choking sound. He tried to breathe, forcing air past the death-grip on his windpipe - he had to. He wound his arms around himself - cold, desperate - terrified, but he knew not of what. 

“Tell me they escaped.” And how could Rex lie to Cody when he sounded like breaking? When his own mind was screaming that they had to escape. 

“ _ Rex! _ ” The sound cut off, a half-wail. 

“No contact.” He could not speak anymore. They had no news. Except this. Their ship had been blown to pieces. And Rex and Cody did not know any more. Warmth was seeping from Rex’s body into the ground - it felt like bleeding - except there was no wound. Death used to be something he could almost touch. But this was remote - unseen - unheard - lost in the darkness of outer space. Absolute silence. And there will never be a body to bring home, no last rites, no looking one last time into his face - no one to recall their death. Nothing. A non-event. The thought broke him in half, a keening wail echoing in the room and he did not even feel like he was the one making it. An echo in his comm - except it was near silence - and ragged breathing - and silent tears, because there was no way he was the only one. Warm - salty. And he could not stop it. 

“Tell me-” Cody sounding distance, parched - a shadow of himself, “tell me your Jedi is looking. We’re too far, if they’re in a pod-”

And it was as though all of Rex’s control snapped. “ _ He won’t, Code! They won’t even look for survivors, even if Ahsoka is railing for  _ his  _ General. _ ” And the thought coming up, unbidden, and cold, clammy, debilitating - something he knew of course, but had no wanted to acknowledge. “Even if they do, they would only care for their own, Code. Not one of us. None of us. Ever…” He was breaking. He could feel the hum of the engines, the ship around him and it was a hollow ribcage devoid of life. He was so cold. 

“Rex…” A commotion, outside, cutting Cody’s voice off. Hushed talk, and someone taking the commlink, from the sound of it. 

“Rex?” It was Boil. “We’ll take care of him.”

Rex nodded numbly, Of course, it made sense, what could Rex do? He was too far. They just lost Wolffe, and he could not even be with Cody. Terror clawed at him. He could not help it and he had no idea how or if he would handle it when news would reach Coruscant. Not that they would have time to grieve… His commlink was still on. 

“Captain? We keep you posted if we have news.” 

“Thank you.” His voice was dead - and the commlink shut down. And he was alone again. At least someone was taking care of Cody. Alone. The cold was gripping him and he could not think, his mind running in circles, trying to think of alternatives, of what they could have done differently to avoid this. But no matter what, the end result was the same. It could have been anyone’s ship. It could have been him, or Cody, or Ponds, or Bly, or just about every  _ kriffing vod _ . But it did not ease that pain in his chest that wanted to break free. 

He was faintly aware of movement outside but he could not be bothered. Could not move. When the door opened with a hiss, he did not look up. Closed his eyes. Wanting to tell whoever it was to leave him alone. Alone with his pain. Alone. How he ought to be. He tensed when someone sat next to him and dragged him in an embrace. Fives. He did not need to look. It made sense that it was him. The door closing again, and another set of steps. Rex opened his eyes, in time to see Echo sink on the ground on his other side, resting his weight against him. 

“Fives… Echo… j-”

“We’re not leaving. Remember, we lost our brothers. You and Cody stuck with us. We’re sticking with you.” Fives’s voice was a bit straining, as if he was trying to keep it together. It was already hard to lose brothers. 

“Commander Tano managed to convince the general to try and find them.” Echo sounded so hopeful, but instead of making Rex feel any better, it tore him open completely, and he opened his mouth in a silent, terrible scream. And yet no sound was heard as excruciating pain was crushing him. But they stayed with him. Silent, their warmth a protection against the cold - death-like cold. Hours. Minutes. Days. He did not know. 

Suddenly, his commlink beeped loudly and he scrambled for it - hoping it was Cody. But no. It was General Skywalker. The last shred of hope he had died, just as it was trying to crawl out of the pit it had been thrown in. He answered, because that was what a captain did. Even if the man wanted everything to end. Even if it was unfair for Cody. 

“Rex, we need you here. We found them.” 

He did not ask who. The comm went silent once more, leaving him on the brink and hope still trying to survive. It felt like knives scratching his bones. He got up, swayed - caught by Echo. He nodded, his thanks, not trusting his voice. He could look the captain. He would not try to talk. He went outside, Fives and Echo flanking him, and he was grateful for their presence. He refused to let hope rise. He would not be able to keep it together if he got his hopes up for nothing. They reached the last door to the landing deck. Immediately, he noticed General Koon. He saw Boost, behind the general. Rex barely noticed he started to run, until he got to the group that was gathered near the ships. He did stop when he saw Wolffe. The wind was knocked out of him, and he could not believe it. It had to be a hallucination. It could not be, he- He barely felt his legs giving out under the shock, and did not notice Wolffe walking fast towards him until he felt arms around him in a bone-crushing hug. Rex did not give a damn about where they were. He clawed at Wolffe’s back, taking in everything - his presence, his scent, the feeling of his body against his. Alive.  _ Alive. _

“I thought you were dead.” He croaked the words, they came out so soft he barely heard them himself. 

“So did I,  _ cyar’ika _ , so did I.” 

“Cody-”

“I contacted him as soon as we landed. Promised to call again when I found you.”

“Wolffe....” And these strong hands on his back, holding him - the cold leaving him, and he did not care it was not professional. Wolffe was alive… And only Boost and Sinker had made it. So many of them died. “I’m sorry.” He could not tell him - there were no words for this. For losing your whole battalion, practically all your  _ vode _ . Almost dying yourself. 

Wolffe seemed to understand what he meant, and Rex could feel him shudder. He pressed his forehead to Wolffe’s. Watched from the corner of his eye. Echo and Fives had reached Wolffe’s men, and were dragging them away. He drew back a little, enough to ask to leave. Skywalker nodded, looking not too good himself. He turned to leave, still keeping an arm around Wolffe. 

“Thank you, Captain, for taking care of him.” It was General Koon. Rex turned back to look at him. He did not need to see all of the general’s face to know that he cared. Truly cared. He wanted to thank him. For caring, for saving - in a way - one of the person he loved most. He did not have the words for that, relief still struggling with the remnants of his earlier breakdown. But the general did not seem to mind, as he nodded. As if he understood. And maybe he did. 

With a dip of his chin, he led Wolffe to his quarters. It would take time for Wolffe to heal, he knew. But for now, Rex was content that he was alive, breathing, warm. And as long as it would take for Wolffe to leave their ship, Rex was not going to let him go. And if Wolffe thought Rex was overdoing it when they settled to sleep, by curling around him, gripping his arm, he did not say anything. 

 


End file.
